JRA’S MEETS WITH DEPT MAIN ROADS 

TRAFFIC LANE PROPOSAL OF THE WESTERN ROUNDABOUT OF SUMNER ROAD BRIDGE.

On the 5th August JRA executives met with DMR Assets and Operations engineers to discuss temporary measures to give the east bound traffic of Sumner Road greater priority of entry. The present design of this roundabout will govern traffic flows until the bridge duplication work is completed – possibly as long as 2014/15.

JRA expressed concerns that the replacement of the roundabout for a signalized Sumner/Dandenong intersection presently being constructed by BCC may further hinder east bound peak time traffic flows.  JRA proposed that:

• Directional lane arrows be painted on the road of each of the 2 west bound lanes that emerge from the existing Sumner Road Bridge. The inner lane will only be for vehicles attempting to gain northerly access to the Centenary Mtw. The outer lane will only be for vehicles wishing to continue west along Sumner Road.

• JRA also expressed concerns that when BCC finish the Sumner Road project, 3 lanes of east bound traffic from Dandenong Road will have to merge into the cental lane before the roundabout. i.e. the new lane that will be created by the removal of the dividing island will have to do a left merge prior to the location of the existing bikeway crossing. This added merging may hinder free passage for motorists wishing to join the north bound on-ramp to the Centenary Motorway.

• When the island that contains the bikeway crossing is removed and relocated to the new signalized Dandenong /Sumner Rd intersection, there will be room for 3 lanes of west bound traffic at this location before separating into 4 lanes.  JRA inquired if the motorists coming from the Centenary Motorway off-ramp will be allocated a separate lane to avoid the existing dangerous merge that presently exists on a curve.

  

In relation to the first point, DMR were concerned that by restricting west bound traffic to only one lane at the roundabout that it would cause traffic to back up over the bridge towards the roundabout on the Darra side and would or could not authorize the painting of directional arrows on the lane surfaces but proposed an alternative road side mounted signage solution.  Find below the official reply report of this meeting.

On Friday 5th August Representatives from the Department listened to JRA’S concerns (as described above) and agreed to explore a number of measures designed to improve east bound traffic flows at the western roundabout. This meeting was held at the office and in the presence of Mt Ommaney MP, Mrs Julie Attwood.  Potential measures like directional signs and road markings will be investigated and, if determined to be safe and beneficial, implemented at the earliest opportunity. The Department will undertake an analysis after the implementation of any new measures to determine their effectiveness. Outcomes will be reported back to the JRA executives and to Mrs Attwood’s office. See below for a copy of their response: